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International reaction to the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
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Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was enacted on Sunday, 17 February 2008 by a unanimous quorum of the Kosovan Parliament, with 109 in favour and with no opposition, with all 11 representatives of the Serb minority boycotting the proceedings.
f 9 March 2009, 56 out of 192 sovereign United Nations member states have formally recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state. Notably, a majority of European Union member states have formally recognised Kosovo (22 out of 27).
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Encyclopedia
Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia was enacted on Sunday, 17 February 2008 by a unanimous quorum of the Kosovan Parliament, with 109 in favour and with no opposition, with all 11 representatives of the Serb minority boycotting the proceedings.
Background
As of 9 March 2009, 56 out of 192 sovereign United Nations member states have formally recognised the Republic of Kosovo as an independent state. Notably, a majority of European Union member states have formally recognised Kosovo (22 out of 27). 22 out of 26 NATO member states, and both acceding member states, have recognised Kosovo. Of the four countries that border Kosovo, only Serbia refuses to recognise it. On 27 February 2008, Germany became the first country to formalise its recognition of Kosovo by renaming its diplomatic office in Pristina as an embassy.
A number of states expressed concern over the unilateral character of Kosovo's declaration, or announced explicitly that they will not recognise an independent Kosovo. The UN Security Council remains divided on this issue: of its five members with veto power, three (the United States, United Kingdom, France) have recognised the declaration of independence, while the People's Republic of China has expressed concern, urging the continuation of previous negotiation framework. Russia has rejected the declaration and considers it illegal. On 15 May 2008, Russia, China, and India released a joint statement where they called for new negotiations between the authorities of Belgrade and Pristina.
Although EU member states decide individually whether to recognise Kosovo, by consensus the EU has commissioned the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to ensure peace and continued external oversight. Due to the dispute in the UN Security Council, the reconfiguration of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and partial handover to the EULEX mission met with difficulties. In spite of Russian and Serbian protests, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon proceeded with the reconfiguration plan. On 15 July 2008, he stated: "In the light of the fact that the Security Council is unable to provide guidance, I have instructed my Special Representative to move forward with the reconfiguration of UNMIK ... in order to adapt UNMIK to a changed reality". According to the Secretary-General, the "United Nations has maintained a position of strict neutrality on the question of Kosovo's status".
On November 26, 2008, the UN Security Council gave the green light to the plan by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on the deployment of the EULEX mission in Kosovo. Under the plan, the EU mission is to assume police, justice and customs duties from the UN, while remaining neutral regarding Kosovo's status and operating under the 1244 resolution that first placed Kosovo under UN administration in 1999.
A UN General Assembly resolution adopted on 8 October 2008 backed the request of Serbia to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality of Kosovo's unilaterally proclaimed independence. Out of 192 available votes, 77 were cast for, 6 against, 74 abstained and 35 were not cast at all. Each vote represents one state.
As of late July 2008, UNMIK no longer provides the citizens of Kosovo with travel documents, while their ability to travel using the new Kosovan passport does not correlate with diplomatic recognition: for example Greece, Romania and Slovakia make it possible, while Senegal and Poland do not yet. As of 9 October 2008, the three neighbouring states that recognise Kosovo—Albania, Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia—all accept the Kosovan passport, which Serbia refuses.
Serbia's reaction
Serbia claims Kosovo as part of its sovereign territory.
Among its reactions, Serbia recalled its ambassadors from countries that recognised Kosovo for consultations for several months, indicted the Kosovar leaders on charges of high treason, and announced plans to litigate the case at the International Court of Justice. Serbia also expelled ambassadors from countries that recognised Kosovo after the vote in the United Nations General Assembly in which the initiative of Serbia to seek an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice was adopted.
State reactions
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